Traceability of sediment analysis

Chemical analysis of sediments provides an efficient tool for water-quality management. A basic sequence of measurements comprises three steps: sampling and sample preparation; grain size as a characteristic sediment feature; and, analytical procedures based on standardized extraction schemes and reference materials. These can be considered as an unbroken chain of comparisons. Further steps are split with regard to specific purposes: sediment-quality assessment, including biological effects; coupling of sediment-quality data with erosion-risk evaluation; chemical changes following resuspension of anoxic sediments; and, modeling of chemical sediment data. In the light of the economic value of these further steps for developing and executing far-reaching management plans, coordinated efforts should be made to improve their traceability (e.g., by organized dissemination of results from on-going research (ageing effects), official documentation of techniques and instruments in a relative new field (erosion effects), extension of standardized extraction schemes (anoxic sediments, capacity-controlling properties), and development of new reference materials (pore water)). (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.